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5 Ways To Avoid Mold Problems in Colder Weather

Name: Exit Mold
Address: 1 Irwin Ct., Lynbrook, New York, 11563, United States
Telephone: (516) 512-7877

The cold wind is blowing, the leaves are falling and the pumpkin patches are busy—there’s no doubt about it, it’s officially the fall season in our community. While it certainly is a favorite time of year for many people, the fall months come with a few home maintenance tasks to make sure your property is set up for success before the winter months arrive.

Mold is a problem year-round, so you can’t let your guard down just because it’s not hot and humid outside! The good news is that there are some things you can do to prepare your home for the changing seasons that will help keep you cozy and comfortable while also reducing your risk of experiencing a mold outbreak.

Let’s dive into the specifics of how to avoid mold problems during the colder months below.

1. Keep Air Moving

The crisp fall air may feel nice during the day, but it can certainly get chilly in the evenings around here. Because of that, many of us close up our homes to keep the warmth in and the cold wind out. Unfortunately, a home that is sealed up tight doesn’t experience proper air flow throughout the day, so it is more likely to suffer from a mold problem.

Your HVAC system is designed to move conditioned air throughout your home, and the built-in fan component helps circulate that air to reduce moisture and to keep air from becoming stagnant. It pushes the stale air out, pulls fresh air in and purifies the air in the process.

In addition to your HVAC system, having fans run at regular intervals can also be helpful. Turn on the fans in your bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens to help move this air throughout your house. Just be sure to change your fan blades to spin clockwise to help push the warm air down into your living spaces.

If stagnant air can’t linger in your home, your risk of suffering from a mold problem lessens significantly.

2. Check Your Humidity

The humidity levels are down outside and it feels so refreshing, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about humidity in your home during the colder months. Humidity levels measure the amount of moisture in the air. All homes should have a small amount of humidity to help make the air more comfortable and easier to breathe, and experts recommend aiming for between 30-50% humidity for optimal comfort.

However, it can be really easy to go over that percentage during the colder months because homes are more likely to be shut tight against the elements. Humidity is produced whenever there is excess moisture present, and that can come in the form of water vapor from a variety of things. Cooking food on the stove, hot showers, washing dishes and even simply breathing can create excess moisture.

If that moisture is not moved out of your home regularly, spaces like your kitchen and bathroom become hot spots for mold infestations. Do your best to dry out high traffic areas regularly and run a fan after you are done using your space. If you have a dehumidifier, consider running it on occasion to pull lingering moisture out of the air.

3. Tend to Your Home

While mold can grow inside your home due to improper ventilation and excess humidity, it is also possible for a mold infestation to be caused by some sort of issue around the exterior of your property. Rain water and melted water from snow can be really sneaky and it can infiltrate the tiniest cracks and gaps of your home.

What does mold love? Moisture! If your foundation has a crack in it and water gets in or one of your doors doesn’t hang straight anymore and there’s a gap around the jamb, your risk for suffering from water issues goes up drastically.

The problem with water leaks is that they can quickly get out of control before you are alerted to the situation. Even just a few seconds of seeping water is enough time for it to get underneath wood floors or behind drywall.

Once there, that stagnant moisture becomes a perfect breeding ground for mold spores. To reduce this risk, get in the habit of checking around your foundation regularly and tackle maintenance tasks right away. You should also check your drains, downspouts and gutters to make sure they are clear and flowing properly.

4. Store Possessions Carefully

The winter season is a great time to tuck away summer clothes, outdoor gear and other outdoor activity equipment for the warmer months ahead. However, make sure you are packing things away carefully and ensure that everything is clean and dry before snapping the lids on your storage bins.

Try to get in the habit of using plastic tubs versus cardboard boxes, as they don’t absorb moisture. In addition, you should store any unneeded items off of the ground. If your storage area is in the basement or attic, it is common for airflow to not be as efficient in these spaces as it is in the rest of the house. Floods and water leaks are also more common in these areas, so getting your possessions up off the floor is a great way to reduce the risk of a mold outbreak going unnoticed.

5. Get Your Home Tested for Mold

Finally, the best way to prevent a mold problem from getting out of hand is to test your home for mold. A professional mold testing is a great way to determine if your home has mold spores in it. A team will come out to your home, gather some samples and then send those samples off to an accredited lab for testing.

If mold is found, it can quickly be tracked down and remediated to help protect your home and your family’s health. However or whenever you discover a mold problem, it can be remediated quickly and efficiently with the help of a mold remediation team.

Don’t wait for mold to take hold! Call Exit Mold right away at (516) 512-7877 to prevent your mold problem from getting worse.

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